Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-02-18

who is standing looking on opeu-mouthed
from the background.
Before anyone can demonstrate, the trunk
Is half way up the staircase and all can do
Is 10 follow
As predicted. after 1t has found resting
| place there is not much surplus room In
Cousin Marys apartment
libby retires after depositing 1t, and enter
half hesltating.
mot much room To turn here" remarks
our guest, coolly surveying our much-thought-
OF spare room.
"At least you have II TO YOURSELF" say,
coldly 'You could have had part Of a larger
room, but We fancied you would prefer this to
such an arrangement am inwardly thank
| full there is no question OF my sharing a room
with my companion. She had got rid Of her
ulster and hat, and is brushing her hair before
the mirror. She then turns and looks at me
sharply, as speak, then resumes her occupa-
| ton In silence Her appearance is far from
| prepossessing. Tall and large boned, she inn
presses one as almost coarse In feature. She
has a mass OF thick, brown hair, which she
wears in fringe cut low on her forehead, and
falling down behind in large chignon quite
out OF date. Her complexion Is brilliant; she
|
large dimple on her chin In short, she might
have been comely, but that, perhaps from
rough mode Of life, she had become coarsened.
She has large red hands, too, and wears a
quantity of nashy cheap looking jewelry
Before / have finished my mental summing
up process, my companion breaks in on me.
Am To go down stairs nown she inquiries,
with strong American accent, which rather
| .i.t.. tlat
| Cousin Mary spent part OF her childhood in
| America.
Il beg your pardon" I respond. eyes,
Wen go down to tea II you are ready"
''This is cosey, and no mistake" erclaims
my companion when We reach the narlor, with
! its dainty tea table and bright lights.
80 we all tea together" she goes on taking
no notice Of Jack, who regards her a sort
Of phenomenon from the background.
Pm tree TO confess you're not stuck up
as English folk in America" Che hast word
she pronounces "Amerky")
No one responds to her remark. privately
wonder if she expected to take tea in the
kitchen and at the same time decide that the
surroundings there would be more in keeping
than her present ones
Wont you sit near the free says mother,
who, | can see is making an effort TO be hos
pitable You must be cold after your jour
new
Mary plants herself down with her back to
20 the fire, and scans the tea table with a look
| Of supreme satisfaction.
Then we are silent. First there are few
subjects we may breach. We must not speak
of Uncle Edgar our Cousins father, in case
Of awakening too painful memories, as he is
but lately dead. Weknow nothing about her
She knows nothing Of us. We have absolute
| ~ nothing in common.
"Haye you been long IN Americal" asks
mother, presently; this evidently presenting a
cafe opening.
"Longn laughs our guest, BLESS you, I've
lived there half my days"
A slight flush passes over mothers face, but
she makes another brave effort "Indeed !
did not know you had been there long.
You must find England great change"
"That do, and it's with no will of my own
l ever set foot on IT, I've been shamefully
cheated" and Cousin Mary purses up her lips,
and her face, already flushed with the warm
room, becomes scarlet with Indignation against
some unknown one who has decoyed her from
the New England World under false pretexts.
We feel that indirectly she has east slight
on us by her last remark, unexplained as it
is; so we keep silence. In the meantime she
fills her saucer with half the contents Of her
cup, and drinks them off, posing the saucer
dexterously between her thumb and fingers
Jack here gives vent TO a suppressed litter,
and kicks me under the table. but am In no
mirthful mood II is all too serious.
$50 you keep two servantsi" blurts out our
guest, abruptly breaking the silence.
The question takes us 10y surprise. / see
Ada's expression of face meant 10 warn oui
visitor she Is going two far. Jack nudges me
and taps his forehead significantly, with a
covert glance at Cousin Mary.
"No," | say; what makes you think SOL w,
have only ONE
ooh, / thought you meant 20 keep two
now" she remarked composedly, proceeding
with her tea.
EVERYBODY relieved when the meal comes
TO an end. At its close our guest has become
tired OF scrutinizing her surroundings, and
leans back in her chair yswning unabashedly
"Would you like 10 go to your room nowf
says mother, kindly, perceivng the signs o
WEAKNESS she makes no attempt to conceal
Il don't mind IL do; I'm pretty we'll deaC
beat as it is" says our cousin, pushing bacI
sumo VI kuc buiNh "hANh SoftAS nc
forehead.
''You can tell me what's expected OF me IL
, the morning" she continues, addressing IN
. with airy condescenson.
There's nothing expected OF you except &
amuse yourself well as you can" say
mother, gently, apparently touched by wha
she considers as a kindly meant, rather blum
offer Of our cousin TO make herself useful In
house where no doubt she has already per
ceived there is plenty to do, and not to-
, much of the assistance and comfort none
) can procure.
"Good night, dear" says mother, will
more warmth than she has yet shown on
, guest ~ hope you will be comfortable
Fanny will 60 up stairs with you and see yo
] have all you need"
D Then mother actually schools herself
s know il is an effort but a sense OF duty
strong in herr to kiss cousin Mary, trial o
I moral strength | am not equal TO, and pro
a ceeding which seems ~ strike our visitor will